Breathtaking Scottish Elopement in the Highlands

I have the most breathtaking Scottish elopement to share with you today, be prepared to be blown away by the sublime images, incredible scenery and the impeccable style.

WWW readers Isabella and Maximilian (Max) eloped to Scotland for their special ceremony at Torridon Estate on the 4th August 2020. They then frolicked in the beautiful surroundings for their couple portraits before heading off on their honeymoon road trip. It all sounds like the perfect elopement adventure, filled with romance and fun.

I adore their chosen outfits. Max went for a striking terracotta suit with bow tie while Isabella chose a tulle gown with cape veil, which has all the ethereal vibes. I have no doubt that these amazing images by Belle Art Photography will leave you feeling inspired, a massive thank you to Becy for sharing them with us.

Scottish Elopement

The Proposal

Max went down on his knee on our south east Asia trip back in 2018. We went for a walk in the botanical gardens of Singapore and it was such a beautiful day. I didn’t expect a proposal at all (we were only 20 and 21 years old) but I noticed that Max was a bit nervous that day. He chose a nice spot near a waterfall and waited until we were alone before he asked the question of all questions.

The Vision

Getting married in Scotland was not plan A. In Germany you can get married in a town hall or a place where the state allows it. We applied for an appointment at a place by a lake but we weren’t lucky enough to get one. In the end we would say we were very lucky as otherwise we wouldn’t have experienced this wonderful and exceptional day in Scotland. We googled “how to get married abroad” and found out that in Scotland you can get married anywhere at any time. Without further ado we decided to have our ceremony in Scotland and combine this event with a one-week road trip through the highlands. The two of us with our nearest and dearest friends.

The Planning Process

The planning process was quite easy. We started with reading some blogposts of elopement photographers and looking up their websites. We found Becy, our photographer and she gave us useful tips. On Google Maps I found this little village Torridon and the guest house Torridon Estate. We informed us which documents are needed and who to contact to make an appointment. We booked flights, a rental car and made out our route. Coronavirus gave us a little rollercoaster of emotions but thankfully it ended in the most perfect way.

Budget

About 5.000 €, outfits, photographer, flights and accommodation.

The Venue

We stayed at Torridon Estate. A beautiful family-runed B&B. They greeted us warmly and were more than happy to host a wedding on their grounds.

Your Outfits & Accessories

Isabella: Of course, I wanted to wear a wedding dress – how often do you get the chance to wear one?! I went to a bridal boutique near Augsburg with my witness and I tried on about 7 dresses before I found the one. I fell in love with the little details of this dress like the shoulder veil and the tassels and of course the flowy boho style.

It is from the Polish designer Gala.

Max: You can always wear a blue or black suit. But when else can you wear a terracotta coloured suit if not on your Scotland elopement? I made Isabella crazy about not telling her the colour but it was a great surprise. Suit is from CAVALIERE.

Beauty & Grooming

Isabella: I’ve got natural curls and as we wanted to keep this day as simple as possible, I wore my curls loose and put a dried-flower hair crown into my hair. The flower crown is from “we are flowergirls”. I also did the make up myself. Without fake lashes and a fancy up-do I remained true to myself.

Max: I went to the hairdresser a week before – that’s it.

The Readings & Music

Civil marriage with the friendly celebrant Sara from the Highland Council.

Just a Spotify playlist.

The Flowers

In the morning of our wedding day my witness, her boyfriend and I went for a walk to pick some wild flowers and we created a simple but nice bouquet.

Check out our wedding readings and wedding music pages for even more ceremony inspiration.

Your Photographer

Becy from Belle Art Photography.

She is such a kind person with a beautiful soul. She is not afraid of walking and climbing through rain, mud and bushes on your special day to take the most amazing photographs. We felt so comfortable in front of the camera with her though we don’t feel very photogenic.

The Details & Décor

What décor if you have the Scottish Highlands surrounding you?

The Honeymoon

We planned on going to Namibia, Africa, but due to Coronavirus this didn’t happen in 2020. But our road trip through Scotland was breath-taking, relaxing and romantic enough to replace a real honeymoon.

Memorable Moments

We are still stunned by how relaxed we were on this day and not even nervous. And we will always remember all the bugs flying in the misty air. And everything else.

Advice For Other Couples

Plan the day exactly the way you like it. Lots of people were asking what our parents think about us getting married without them. We don’t care, it’s our wedding! Beside that our parents were totally fine with our decision.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Such a dream!

Isabella and Maximilian, thank you so very much for sharing your very special real wedding story with us xo Lou